


Our Faces Aglow in the Softness of Candlelight

by icandrawamoth



Series: Fic Advent 2017 [11]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: X-Wing Series - Aaron Allston & Michael Stackpole
Genre: Advent Calendar, Advent Challenge, Advent Challenge 2017, Candles, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Love Confessions, M/M, Power Outage, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2017-12-18
Packaged: 2019-02-16 09:22:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13051131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icandrawamoth/pseuds/icandrawamoth
Summary: Wedge, Tycho, a subpar candlelit dinner, and a confession.





	Our Faces Aglow in the Softness of Candlelight

**Author's Note:**

> For Advent Challenge bingo square "candle" and a Tumblr drabble prompt: "I've seen the way you look at me when you think I don't notice." I still don't know that I'm 100% satisfied with this, but I want to clear out my WIP folder by the end of the year, so here it goes. (Title from [this](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/292382200782458426/).)

The glowrod at his belt sends wild shadows chasing each other along the rough stone walls as Wedge walks the halls back to the room he's sharing with Tycho. That's the problem with newly-established bases on remote planetoids like this – sometimes things break down. In this case, it's the power generator, and though the techs are hard at work on it, who knows when they'll have reliable electric lights again.

He finds the right door and shuffles in where it's stuck in the emergency half-open position. Tycho is sitting at the small table in the corner of the room, a candle set on it casting flickering beams across his face.

“Cold ration packs,” Wedge says morosely as he sets two of them on the table. “All we've got for now. Where'd you find this?” He nods to the candle as he deactivates his glowrod and tucks it away.

“Ransacked my emergency supplies.”

“You'll have to replace those before we fly again.”

“Yes, boss.”

Wedge can hear the eyeroll in it, but doesn't comment. He's too busy being distracted by the way the candlelight plays across Tycho's face as he peels the rations open, casting shadows across his cheeks and making his blue eyes twinkle.

Wedge jerks his eyes away and goes for his own food, refusing to let his gaze linger. That doesn't do anyone any good. He frowns down at the dry protein cubes before him.

“Not exactly gourmet,” Tycho chuckles, catching his expression.

“Not exactly better than what we'd have gotten otherwise, either.” Wedge pops one into his mouth. There's no use complaining. Sustenance is sustenance, and they'll need it either way.

Tycho makes a huffing sound, and Wedge glances up at him, caught again by the way the low light softens his features. He's an attractive man; anyone would have to be blind not to see it.

“Wedge.”

“Hmm?” It takes longer than it should for him to snap back to attention. “What?” Tycho is looking at him, and Wedge can feel his cheeks warming, hopes like hell it isn't visible in the dim room.

Tycho is giving him a thoughtful look, the thoughtful look he gets when he's measuring his words carefully. “I've seen the way you look at me when you think I don't notice,” he says finally, evenly.

Everything in Wedge freezes, heart thundering painfully in his chest. Gods, he'd seen. He'd been caught. Part of him had known this day was coming, but who ever expects their life to change _today_? “I'm sorry,” he manages, voice small.

Tycho's brow creases. “What are you sorry for?”

Wedge stands up jerkily. “My attention has clearly made you uncomfortable, and it was unprofessional of me as your commanding officer. If you want a transfer or-”

“Wedge, slow down.” Tycho is standing too now, his hand shooting out to grip Wedge's arm, and Wedge stares at it, all too aware of the warmth that seeps through his sleeve into his skin. “Look at me.”

Cheeks blazing, gut roiling, Wedge does. This is where their friendship ends. This is where all that time spent looking and wondering and wishing ruins what he already had.

But Tycho's blue eyes are gentle. “Talk to me, Wedge.”

“W-what?” he stutters. He gaze flicks to Tycho's hand, still on his arm, back to his face.

Tycho doesn't move. “When a person looks at someone like that, it usually means something.”

“I...” Wedge's gaze trails away. But he has to speak. If there's any way he can fix this, he has to. “You're my best friend,” he says softly. “You mean so much to me in that way.”

He sees Tycho nod out of the corner of his eye. “Go on.”

“But I've wondered,” Wedge makes himself say, shaky. He hopes the dark hides some of the roiling emotion on his face. “Whenever you...touch me like this, or you hug me after a battle, or you listen when I need to talk...” He squeezes his eyes shut, knows he should look Tycho in the eyes when he says this, but he just can't. “I wonder if it could be more.”

“You want it to be more.” Wedge nods miserably, starts when Tycho's hand touches his cheek, guides him to look up into those blue orbs again. “I thought so.”

“Tycho-”

“Can I kiss you?”

“What?”

Tycho smiles, everything in his face soft and gentle. “I said, can I kiss you?”

Wedge can't quite comprehend what's happening. He nods dumbly, and then the unthinkable is happening: his friend is leaning in, framing his face in his hands as he brushes their lips together, soft, chaste, exploratory. “What-?” he manages when Tycho moves back just enough to look at him.

“You never imagined I'd want this too, did you, Wedge?” Tycho shakes his head fondly. One hand moves, fingers caressing Wedge's cheek. “You never considered I was looking at you while you were looking away, and that you just weren't the more observant one this time.” He laughs softly.

Wedge's mouth is hanging open, and he can't quite get it to close. “You-?”

“I care about you,” Tycho says, and it's firm in a way that's both shocking and grounding. “I don't know if you'd call it love, but we're two adults who know what we want. I'm ready to give this a try if you are.”

Wedge's head is spinning. He'd _wanted_ , but he'd never imagined-

Tycho's hand returns to his arm, grips. “You still with me? You look like you're about to pass out or something, boss.”

The lightness of it, the familiarity, helps bring Wedge back to himself. He shakes his head to clear it, because this _isn't_ a dream, this is really happening, and for once he can have what he wants. One good thing. He steps forward, threads his fingers into Tycho's hair and pulls him in for a kiss. “Yes,” he breathes against his lips, nerves and happiness still warring in his gut in a sensation pleasantly similar to breaking atmosphere. “Yes. I want you.”

Tycho pulls him closer and deepens the kiss. _I want you, too._


End file.
